- The Trump administration has announced plans to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.
- The White House is also promising to review regulations that “impose undue burdens on energy production.”
- The administration is also promising consumer choice in vehicles, likely signaling an end to EV favoritism.
The Trump administration has revealed their “first priorities” and a few of them are focused on the automotive industry and the environment. Developments are expected to happen rapidly, but the White House wants to “make America affordable and energy dominant again.”
As part of this effort, Trump will “unleash American energy by ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism.” Details are limited, but his administration is promising a streamlined permitting process and a review to “all regulations that impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals.”
More: Biden Bans Offshore Drilling, Trump Pledges To “Unban It Immediately”
The President will also withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord and “end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers.” Furthermore, the White House will “pause burdensome and radical regulations not yet in effect that Biden announced.”
While concrete details are few and far between at this point, the new administration promised actions that will “empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs, and dishwashers.” This suggests it’s safe to say efficiency is being moved to the back burner and electric vehicles will be facing yet another obstacle.
The outcome remains to be seen, but previous reports have indicated the President wants to eliminate the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles. Consumers claimed more than $1 billion in funds last year and this aided in the purchase of over 150,000 ‘clean vehicles.’
Automakers and industry groups have warned about dire consequences if the tax credit is abruptly eliminated as EVs would suddenly cost thousands of dollars more. This could seriously hurt sales, production, and the bottom line.
Update: The text of President Trump’s inaugural address has been released and he promised to “end the Green New Deal” and “revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry.” He went on to promise, “We will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago.”
